Monday Memories, pt. 3—Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob—Frank Lloyd Wright

Sunday morning, March 16, after our tour of the Hardy Art Collection at the Chateau in Nemacolin, we boarded our bus for Fallingwater, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous houses in our area of the country, and then from there continued on to Kentuck Knob.  Fallingwater had just opened for the season, and was snow free, but very chilly.   The water was running free of ice, and we could hear it even in the house. 

It was designed for the Edgar Kaufmann, Sr.  (1885-1955)  family of Pittsburgh of department store fame. Edgar Jr. inherited the property and gave it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to make available to the public.

Fallingwater stands as one of Wright's greatest masterpieces both for its dynamism and for its integration with the striking natural surroundings. Fallingwater has been described as an architectural tour de force of Wright's organic philosophy. Wright's passion for Japanese architecture was strongly reflected in the design of Fallingwater, particularly in the importance of interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature. Wikipedia.

Kentuck Knob video, 2010.  10 miles south of Fallingwater, completed in 1956 for the Hagan family.  Now owned by the Palumbo family of England.  The trees were planted after it was built.  The land had been clear cut for farming many years ago.  Of course, we were not allowed to take interior photos which is the policy of most historical places and museums.

Pt. 1—Carnegie and Frick Museums

Pt. 2—Nemacolin Woodlands Reserve

Monday Memories, Pt 2—The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Between the two museum tours, the Carnegie and the Frick we had a wonderful lunch in Pittsburgh at Lydia’s of Insalata Caesar, a trio of pasta—malfatti with fresh spinach and ricotta, ziti with sausage and onion, and wild mushroom ravioli with thyme butter sauce, topped off with assorted cookies. 

In the beautiful sun room at the Chateau in Nemacolin

Then we continued on to The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort near Farmington, Pennsylvania, about 215 mi. from Columbus. At Nemacolin (named for a famous Indian) there are several elegant hotels, cottages, houses and town homes to rent; wonderful restaurants, a zoo, swimming, skiing, tennis, bowling, dog sledding, off road driving instruction, fly fishing, golf, shooting ranges, spa and fitness, special activities for children and babysitting, an RV park and wonderful shops. There are also accommodations and spa for your pets (dogs, I think). Nearby in Ohiopyle is river rafting. And, a casino.  Really there is something for everyone, and all ages.

The owners of the resort, the Hardy family of 84 Lumber, have art valued at $45 million--everything from antique cars to Tiffany lamps to paintings and prints.   After breakfast in one of the wonderful restaurants in the Chateau Hotel, our group gathered in the registration area and with docents viewed a very small piece of the collection, primarily paintings, Tiffany glass and some glass sculptures. The collection is best described as eclectic and idiosyncratic.

Monday Memories—Our Week-end in Pennsylvania Pt. 1

We had a wonderful week-end of art through Art Escapes of the Columbus Museum of Art. We visited the Carnegie and Frick museums in Pittsburgh; had an Italian lunch at Lydia's; then stayed at the Nemocolin Woodlands Resort, which has a number of art collections, and we saw only a part of it; then on to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob homes, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Carnegie and Frick museums in Pittsburgh

At the Carnegie Museum of Art we caught the last day of the 2013 Carnegie International—35 artists from 19 countries. None of us were too excited by Phyllida Barlow’s sculpture at the entrance which looked like scattered steel wrapped with pink and orange ribbons, but after the tour, it made more sense.

One of my favorites was the neon sign pieces by He An, or at least it was until I learned how he had made it—stole the signage from various fast growing cities in China.

While we were observing Erika Verzutti’s strange forms and objects assembled on the floor, we saw a delightful little girl about 7 or 8 with her notebook, trying to copy the imagines.

There was some interesting art made from confiscated guns by a Mexican artist and an abstract sequence of “film frames” by Sadie Benning. Cubes by Lara Favaretto made of confetti were fascinating, although the docent explanation wasn’t clear. There was a large exhibits of photos of lesbians of South Africa by Zanele Muholi. I didn’t find anyone who liked the soft sculpture by Sarah Lucas—sort of stuffed panty hose in very suggestive positions which was supposed to represent the oppression of women, I think. I spent the most time (up close) examining the photos by Taryn Simon of women of the James Bond movies. There are just too many to mention all of them. I’ve not been a fan of contemporary art, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Pezzuti collection we saw last month, which I enjoyed much more than the 2013 International.

“An American Odyssey” is showing at the Frick Museum from March 1 to May 25, 2014.  There are many other things to see there like the Frick home and a car collection. This is from the Warner Foundation, the private collection of Jack Warner, who believes American history can be told through its art.

“The Warner collection is one of the most important collections of American art formed in recent decades, and the breadth and variety of works represented are both artistically and historically illuminating. Portraiture, still life, landscape, and genre painting are all represented with major groups of works by Hudson River School artists and American Impressionists, as well as significant groups of work by individual artists like Winslow Homer (1836–1910) and Mary Cassatt (1844–1926).“  http://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/eventlist/events/index.php?eID=7881

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110227/NEWS/110229628

The unaffordable care act

“The actual number of Americans who were involuntarily uninsured was, at worst, somewhere around 13 million [not 47 million as claimed] And it is a myth that these people were ever denied care. This is why HHS isn’t keeping up with the number of uninsured who are signing up through the exchanges. The plight of the uninsured was a phony issue. A genuine issue, on the other hand, was increasing insurance premiums. And, perversely, the authors of Obamacare never addressed the underlying causes of this problem. In fact, the ironically named Affordable Care Act actually exacerbated the cost problem.”

Obamacare is unaffordable

Research you can use. . .

Enjoying Jack Benny 60 years late

I enjoy watching The Jack Benny show on my "rabbit ears" TV--I rarely listened/watched when it was one of the most popular and long running radio/TV shows in history (1932-1955 radio; 1950-1965 TV). I was looking at the FaceBook page and noticed that the wife (4th) of his announcer and side kick Don Wilson was Lois Corbett. That's the same name (not person) as my aunt.  But also the photo on the page shows a different Don Wilson, an Asian martial arts guy.  Considering what Don Wilson (rotund) looked like, that's hilarious.

Cornelius the Centurion, Acts 10

Interesting passage in Acts for Bible study today (and Sunday sermon) which included Cornelius the Centurion. He was an Italian gentile respected by the Jews, a Roman soldier of high rank, over 30, literate, with administrative skills necessary for his rank and position. He was a spiritual leader of this family and staff. Big cultural divide here between him and Peter. He was not a Christian, but is described as righteous, God-fearing, devout, generous to those in need, prayerful, and had a visit from an angel who said, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God." How often Christians think they can't pray or work together with those whose theology or practices are different than their own, who are Mormon or Catholic or Muslim. God apparently has other plans.

The latest change in the law

Obama finally sees the solution for those who can't afford the Affordable Care Act--prioritize your expenses and buy less of optional items like cable and shoes. Would you ask this over spender for advice on your budget?

The most recent change he's made in the law without Congressional approval is to say if it creates a hardship, you don't need to sign on (until after the 2016 elections to save the Democrats). Ironically, he has finally admitted that Obamacare IS THE HARDSHIP for millions.

 http://hotair.com/archives/2014/03/12/oh-by-the-way-obama-just-quietly-suspended-obamacares-individual-mandate-until-2016/

[T]he individual mandate is probably done for.

I would now assume that no one will pay the individual mandate fine for 2014. The administration may give up on the mandate in the course of the ongoing enrollment period if the political pressure is great enough, or they may keep up the pretense of it through the end of the enrollment period in March (when it will have finished its work, so to speak, since its purpose is to influence choices made during that period) but then exempt everyone from it as they did with the employer mandate for this year. Having now exempted from the fine people whose policies were canceled and who haven’t spent the money to get more expensive and less appealing new coverage, the politics of still applying the fine to everyone else who is uninsured this year will probably just not be sustainable, and the politics of exempting people from it (especially if they can hold out on doing so until after March 31) will be far too appealing for this White House to resist. They may claim the mandate will be back in 2015, but if they do exempt everyone from it in 2014 it will be hard to bring it back. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/366853/pounding-panic-button-yuval-levin

http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/12/krauthammer-obamacare-hardship-exemption-essentially-cancels-individual-mandate-video/

http://www.thewire.com/national/2013/12/obama-issues-hardship-exemption-those-cancelled-health-plans/356359/

Not NSYNC

Lance Bass of the boy band NSYNC gets the name of the health web site wrong.  It’s HealthCare dot gov.  He plans to help the President flog the health insurance site that has flagged so badly.

Progressives’ War on Women and Poor continues--90+ lawsuits

“Our faith teaches us that in the face of suffering, we can’t stand idly by, and that we must be that Good Samaritan.” So said President Obama during the Prayer Breakfast the other week. So say his progressive allies and friends, and his administration, too . . .  all the way to the courthouse.

Begin with the most obvious example: the court case brought against the administration by the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Little Sisters argue that their refusal to comply with the HHS contraception-and-abortifacients mandate on grounds of conscience will incur some $2.5 million in annual fines. That’s $2.5 million that could otherwise feed, house, and warm those for whom they care.

If the appeal doesn’t go their way, the administration will have successfully kneecapped their unique mission among the old, the sick, and the dying, whom they take in and treat as “family” when everyone else has thrown them out.

All of which raises an interesting point. From the perspective of sheer public relations, taking on the Little Sisters should have been the political equivalent of slapping babies. Why wasn’t it?"

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/373053/progressivisms-war-winners-mary-eberstadt#!

The Lerner Report

Lois G. Lerner, the now-retired Director of IRS Exempt Organizations, was extensively involved in targeting conservative-oriented tax-exempt applicants for inappropriate scrutiny. The Lerner report. http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Lerner-Report1.pdf

And I don't believe she made these decisions to target conservative groups without instruction from those above her.

It’s apparent that Lerner became very impatient waiting for changes in the law, and just decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Republicans are fighting back against proposed new IRS rules that they say would make formal the tax agency’s infamous crackdown on Tea Party groups that oppose the Obama agenda, stripping them of their free speech rights during election cycles. The new rules, first unveiled around Thanksgiving when no one was  paying attention, would prevent so-called 501(c)(4) social welfare/advocacy groups from participating in certain kinds of political activity. Such nonprofit organizations would be prevented from communicating with voters about candidates or political parties within 60 days of a general  election.   “Every American needs to know about this abuse of power,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) said in a recent speech on the Senate floor. Although new IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said he did not participate in drafting the rules, he has refused demands to block their implementation. Senate Democrats such as Mark Begich (Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) are demanding that the IRS crack down further on right-leaning nonprofits like Americans for Prosperity.” CRC Organization Trends, March 2013

Nominee for Surgeon General

Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy doesn’t like the 2nd amendment. Dr. Murthy is the president and founder of Doctors for America, which grew from the campaign organization that was called Doctors for Obama, started in 2008. The organization has advocated for a number of liberal initiatives, including strongly supporting the passage of Obamacare and Medicaid expansion.
The group has also been supportive of the Obama administration’s failed push for expanding gun control laws in 2013.

I've noticed that people who don't like the 2nd amendment usually don't like the first either. . . especially freedom of religion. Then speech, press, and assembly fall next.

Popular Swedish pastor converts to Catholicism

         

Thirty years ago Ulf Ekman left the Swedish Lutheran Church and founded a very successful nondenominational church in Sweden (Pentecostal/charismatic). He has written over 50 books and established a seminary. I watched a video of one of the services (over 2 hours so you have to move in about 60 minutes to hear him) and they are incredibly up to date in everything dealing with church technology and evangelization. I didn't know the words they were singing, but recognized the repetition, swaying and hand clapping style (voiced translation of the sermon into English is just so-so).

http://www.ulfekman.org/default.aspx?idStructure=8768

Word of Life’s local church is located in Uppsala, which is the fourth largest city in Sweden, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of the capital, Stockholm. The church has around 3,000 members and offers a broad variety of activities, services and gatherings for both young and old, a rich music life, educational facilities and different social projects.

Word of Life has 12 pastors, sharing the responsibility for the church’s everyday life and activities, such as ministry of the Word, prayer groups (also called cell groups), the Bible school, missions, children’s and youth ministry, care for the elderly and sick, as well as outreach projects and social activities.

In the last 7 years Ekman has been moving toward a more classical, historical stance, and yesterday in the Sunday service he announced he and his wife have converted to Catholicism. He retired as senior pastor about a year ago.

http://ulfekman.org/default.aspx?idStructure=8766

“Rev. Ekman was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and in 1970 – a few days before graduating from high school– he had an encounter with Jesus Christ and became a Christian, an incident that left him totally transformed and that radically changed the direction of his life. He enrolled at Uppsala University and acquired degrees in theology, history and ethnography. In 1976, he met and married Birgitta, daughter of a Methodist pastor and his wife and raised in India where her parents were missionaries. In January of 1979, Rev. Ekman was ordained minister of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and for some years he worked as a student chaplain at Uppsala University.

In 1983 Rev. Ekman founded Word of Life Church and Word of Life Bible Centre in Uppsala, Sweden and resigned from the Lutheran Church and his name and face become known all over the nation. Already from start Word of Life has been the biggest church of the faith movement in Sweden and Ulf Ekman is a highly appreciated and often-invited speaker at churches and conferences of various denominations, not only in Scandinavia but also internationally.”

His blog has not been updated for 2 years, but reading through his own page, I see that the Bible school is being phased out, and the Spring seminar ended last year, as did his ministry at the church.

Young Women of Faith Bible (NIV)

                        

Recently I received a copy of Zonderkidz’ Bible, “Young Women of Faith Bible” to review (c 2001, 2013 www.zonderkidz.com) For this task, I consulted the three grandmothers in our UALC Bible study group. I’m a little out of touch with the niche market of middle school and high school.  They loved it!  They all thought any young girl or woman would really enjoy the pink illustrations—hearts, butterflies, flowers--the excellent, informative side bars, the use of a journal for personal thoughts, and explanations. It features weekly Bible studies, memory verses and challenges, and “if I were there” questions, as well as the Biblical notes and journal suggestions.  And it has what I would have enjoyed at the target age, a topical index and Biblical maps in color.  If you already use Zondervan’s “Women of Faith Study Bible,” this Bible coordinates with it.

The general editor is Susie Shellenberger, a Christian speaker who has written fifty-two books, and lives in Bethany, Oklahoma with her two mini Schnauzers Obie and Amos. Susie is a former youth pastor, high school teacher, and editor. She loves a lot of color with her Scripture.

Is there really a compassion gap?

Nicholas Kristof wrote about one child and one mother for a story, and got 3 comments which he calls an "outrage" and "compassion gap" and then segues into criticism of all conservatives/Republicans--who actually have a much better record for compassion than liberals in all studies. Plus they believe a job is better for poverty than handouts and marriage is one part of the solution to generational poverty!!

He also equates affluence with being Republican, which is just catering to his base—liberal Democrats. Most who read the first story, didn't comment. During the recession, poverty (line) increased by 16%, but food support increased by 58%. And the recent decrease we heard about was because ARRA temporary funding came to an end 4 years after the end of the recession. There is no compassion gap, but the entire nation is getting weary of the liberals' excuses and their failed programs which keep the poor tied to and dependent on politicians.

And where does he come up with this? The liberals propose abortions and close charter schools that help poor and minority children.

“To break cycles of poverty, we have the tools to improve high school graduation rates, reduce teen pregnancies and increase employment. What we lack is the will to do so.”

Like most liberals, he doesn’t break out charitable giving by faith—and whether rich or poor (the very wealthy contribute by far the most,  just like they do taxes).  And although he notes the importance of marriage in getting out of poverty, it’s just a throw away line, almost a straw man so he can criticize conservatives who promote it. Even his formula isn’t correct:  it’s 1) marriage before having children, 2) finish high school, and 3) a job—any job. He lumps unmarried moms, drugs and crime together.

“Critics [this came out of the Clinton administration]  note that if a person manages to get through high school and avoid drugs, crime and parenting outside of marriage, it’s often possible to escape poverty. Fair enough. But if you’re one of the one-fifth of children in West Virginia born with drugs or alcohol in your system, if you ingest lead from peeling paint as a toddler, if your hearing or vision impairments aren’t detected, if you live in a home with no books in a gang-ridden neighborhood with terrible schools — in all these cases, you’re programmed for failure as surely as children of professionals are programed for success.”

This is a horribly depressing home life for any child with no government program in the world that could turn it around, but he blames a compassion gap. But that’s his implication—with enough compassion (there are 79 government transfer programs including Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, low income housing, Head Start, Healthy Start, etc.), we could turn this around.

Kristof insults all his readers by judging them based on a few   snarky comments on Twitter and e-mail.  Man up, Kristof.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/opinion/sunday/kristof-the-compassion-gap.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

Besides, in 2008 Kristof noted that Conservatives were more charitable that Liberals.

Arthur Brooks, the author of a book on donors to charity, “Who Really Cares,” cites data that households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than households headed by liberals. A study by Google found an even greater disproportion: average annual contributions reported by conservatives were almost double those of liberals.

Other research has reached similar conclusions. The “generosity index” from the Catalogue for Philanthropy typically finds that red states are the most likely to give to nonprofits, while Northeastern states are least likely to do so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/opinion/21kristof.html?_r=0

How many delays before the Democrats wake up?

Remember, he said--Delay the law?  That’s not going to happen as long as I’m President.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/white-house-delay-obamacare-implementation-report-article-1.1710455

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/11/us-usa-healthcare-obama-idUSBREA1A20T20140211

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/us/politics/health-insurance-enforcement-delayed-again-for-some-employers.html?_r=0

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304732804579423293276220608?ampmg=reno64-wsj

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2014/0306/Why-Obamacare-s-March-31-enrollment-deadline-really-can-t-budge-video

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/zeke-emanuel-on-latest-obamacare-delay-obama-thinks-its-worth-it-for-the-political-game/

Were you a Girl Scout or a Leader?

WAGGGS is The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Supports International Women’s Day.  Story about this pro-abortion group.

Girl Scouts have a 40 year relationship with Planned Parenthood, but deny it in their promotional material.  Also, God is optional in the pledge.

CPAC 2014

Rand Paul—sounds a little hoarse, but content is good.

“It isn’t good enough to pick the lesser of 2 evils.”

In his CPAC address, Ted Cruz outlined what Republicans should do to win back the Senate and win the hearts and minds of Americans young and old.

“Let’s look back at the past four elections, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012,” Cruz said. “The only election we won was 2010, when we stood unequivocally for principle….Who are the two people who have energized young people? Ronald Reagan and Ron Paul. What did they do? They painted a bold picture of what America can do…. You win elections by standing for principles and believing that there is a better tomorrow.

“How do we inspire people? Number one we tell the truth…. The truth is Washington is corrupt. You are in some of the richest counties in the country. As more and more people make great wealth in Washington, young people, single moms, and small business owners suffer…. Real change is changing the corruption that is here in Washington, D.C.”

Dinesh D’Souza

Obama didn’t like his first film; he will hate the next one.

Friday Family Photo—homeschooling

My husband hosted his young home schooled friends on Thursday. He set the dining room table with paper plates and napkins with Twinkies and milk. He brought them t-shirts and caps from Haiti with a letter for each from a Haitian child. He showed them a video of his recent short term mission trip. Several weeks ago he did an art class instruction for them; I think today was social studies.

 

They pay him back by being adorable models for his paintings—in the one above his head they are eating ice cream along the lakefront in Lakeside. The other, just finished this week, is a painting of the children in front of the ice cream shop at Lakeside.

Their mother called that tonight to tell him the younger girl prayed at dinner for the children of Haiti, and that they would have enough money to continue their education.

Mumps outbreak at Ohio State University

The Columbus Health Department affirmed that eleven Ohio State students have been diagnosed with suspected mumps. Now, it's possible these are foreign students who were not properly immunized, but they may also be the adult children of mothers who didn't believe in vaccinations. I had it as a child and it's no picnic then--but for adults it's serious. Medical complications include:

Deafness
Orchitis or inflammation of the testes in males that can lead to sterility
Encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain or tissues of the brain and spinal cord)
Inflammation of the ovaries
Inflammation of the breasts (mastitis)
Pancreatitis
Mumps in early pregnancy may result in the spontaneous abortion of the fetus.

More tragedies uncovered for Obamacare

If I were an illegal alien living in the USA and Obama promised me that signing up for Obamacare would not endanger me, I think I wouldn't believe him. After all, the entire country was promised when it was passed that illegals wouldn't be covered (many losing the benefits they previously had). Is there anything in that law that passed in 2010 still in place? Yes, the increased costs and what we still need to find--like cutting home health care for seniors which was there, but no one paid any attention. And once the name and details are in the system, no one, not even citizens with impeccable Democrat credentials, have found a way to back out or change it.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-inevitability-of-obamacare-for-illegal-immigrants/article/2545114

"When the White House now talks about the “Get Covered” campaign, it’s not about ordinary Americans getting health care. It’s about covering the backsides of the Obama water-carriers who may very well lose their jobs. They’re not just eating their words. They’re choking on Obamacare’s massive, inevitable, job-killing, life-threatening failures." Michelle Malkin

Black teen unemployment in Chicago a disgrace

The teen unemployment rate in the U.S. is 21.4%. In 2006 it was 14%. But I saw a man on Dana Loesch show today who said it was 92% for blacks 16-19 in Chicago. That sounded awfully high, so I checked it. Paul McKinley is very unhappy with Obama and believes he has let blacks down.

http://www.blackyouthproject.com/2014/01/92-of-black-male-teens-unemployed-in-chicago-83-nationally/

The study was  released  by the Urban League. Nationwide 17 percent of black males 16-19 had some sort of job; 12 percent in Illinois; just 8 percent in Chicago.

I wonder how raising the minimum wage will help unemployed teens?

Obama tries to rescue Democrats

In a blatant political move to rescue his namesake legislation to help out Democrats running this fall, Obama has changed it again (a violation of the law) so "you can keep your health plan" until after the election, to Oct. 2017, even if the plan isn't compliant. So for 2 years, 60 year old women won't have to pay for birth control or pediatric coverage. New big break for unions, too. Open enrollment will be extended and he's paying off the insurance companies, which must be pulling their hair out trying to figure out the rules. His plan is to make this so unpalatable, that people will beg for something even more expensive, but less confusing--single payer--and will blame the insurance companies for the chaos he has created.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101469265

The Democrats' War on Women gearing up.

New Medicare cuts in home health care to help fund Obamacare will affect predominately women. Plus it will disproportionately affect women workers who own and staff the home health industry.  Home health care actually drives down medical costs for the elderly.  What were they thinking?http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/28/weber-obamacares-punch-to-home-health-care/

On Jan. 1, Medicare’s home health care services, formerly serving 3.5 million elderly beneficiaries across the country, were cut under Obamacare. The cut deleted exactly 14 percent, or an estimated $22 billion, from these lowest-income Americans over four years. News of the forthcoming cut only trickled out the Friday before Thanksgiving, yet another stunning attempt by the Obama White House to reduce Medicare benefits without attracting notice.

Not Obama’s standard

This should be Obama's standard for SNAP--not how many people he has added, but how many don't need it anymore.

During the last five years, the SNAP program grew by 36.8%, from $58,223,790,000 in 2009 to $79,641,880,000 in 2013. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/ali-meyer/record-20-households-food-stamps-2013#sthash.rIiq4riE.dpuf

However, the number on food stamps decreased in 2012 and 2013 as the economy improved, despite the recruitment for more participants.

In the U.S., hunger is on the list of missing, politically incorrect words; it is “food insecurity,” a much more plastic, pliable term, and it only has to occur very briefly to be included in the stats.

According to USDA Economic Research Service 11.1 percent of all US households were food insecure during some period during 2006. That percentage of food insecure households increased to 14.5 in 2010.

 

Notice the huge jump in costs in 2009—ARRA money was used to recruit more users. By government think, this “infused” money quickly into the economy, but I suspect most went to hire additional workers rather than provide improved nutrition.

From 2007 to 2010, the number of families below 125% of the federal poverty level increased by 16% (because of the recession). That's a lot of people--mostly children without fathers in the home. However, the number of households receiving SNAP benefits increased by 58%. This means that the SNAP recipiency ratio, or the ratio of households receiving SNAP to that below 125% of the poverty line rose by 37%. "The Redistribution Recession," by Casey Mulligan

Urban Institute, a progressive think tank, believes SNAP helps the poor and the economy, as does all the government reports. After all, it is a USDA program. Here’s their take. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412613-SNAPs-Role-in-the-Great-Recession-and-Beyond.pdf

When Israel is boycotted, it hurts Palestinian Arabs

[John] Kerry, and many others in the West, understand perfectly well that boycotting Israel reduces job opportunities not only for Jews, but also for Palestinians who work for in Israeli factories, farms and settlements, inside Israel as well as in the West Bank. The Palestinians who work there often receive ten times the remuneration, as well as better working conditions, than they would find among their own people, as has been revealed recently by the workers at companies that have actually been building real bridges of peace such as SodaStream, rather than organizations that have been sanctimoniously blowing up the bridges for peace, as Oxfam has. As usual, the Europeans know what will happen if there are fewer ways for the Palestinians to earn a decent living, as they knew when they left all their colonies. In the West Bank, you lose your job, you sell you house, then you sell your car, then after a year, someone knocks on the door and says they will pay you if you throw rocks The first year you say no; the second year you say yes. The Europeans evidently care more about flagellating Israel than helping Palestinians. They are presumably happy to leave the "savages" to go jobless, hungry and at the mercies of their corrupt dictatorships. What good people the Europeans are!"

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4177/john-kerry-europeans

Palin and Romney

The situation in Ukraine is one that needs an outside, respected leader to call together the European powers to see what can be done to save the Ukrainians from the Russian bear (which killed about 10 million of them in the 1930s and no one spoke up on their behalf). Unfortunately, the 2 we have who know world history and the role fuel plays in these aggressive actions were ridiculed and silenced by our pansy press and fumbling Democrats.

We’re in trouble when Rob Lowe nails it

Some religions are sanctioned for teaching at state universities

"Ohio State's Integrative Medicine Clinic offers acupuncture, Ayurveda, chiropractic, massage, mindfulness instruction, and yoga."  Wexner Medical Center brochure, go.osu.edu/integrativehealth

If you wish to practice the religious observances and techniques of Ayurveda, mindfulness or Yoga, should it be through a state university that probably wouldn't include Christian prayer, music or liturgy in its medical program and course offerings, even though there is enough research available to show Christians live longer and enjoy better health?

Brief definitions from Wikipedia:

“Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation.”

“Yoga, from the word “yuj” (Sanskrit, “to yoke” or “to unite”), refers to spiritual practices that are essential to the understanding and practice of Hinduism.”

Ayurveda is a discipline of the upaveda or "auxiliary knowledge". It is treated as a supplement or appendix of the Vedas themselves, usually either the Rigveda or the Atharvaveda. The samhita of the Atharvaveda itself contains 114 hymns or incantations for the magical cure of diseases.

                 

A phone, a pen and a Putin

Top 10 actresses compared to top 10 actors

The ignorant right

Sometimes I can’t believe the way some conservative talk show hosts, bloggers, on-line news hounds and website owners underrate President Obama. Folks, he’s not dumb, or careless, or naïve.  He would be if he had core American values, but he doesn’t.  Why does the right continue to fall for this, putting out insipid cartoons, wringing their hands, and thus taking their eyes off the November 2014 prize?

It’s no coincidence that we’re having this flurry of gay marriage law suits and gay coming out parties.  Obama was firmly in the traditional marriage camp until he found out the U.S. Catholic Bishops finally got a spine and were going to hold the line on just who created this universe. The Catholics are leading the fight on abortion and the HHS mandate--compulsory contraceptives in insurance forced on religious agencies despite the assurances of the first amendment.  I guess they figured out from closing their adoption agencies that the thugs in government meant business, and they’d better not concede another inch. 

Compulsory abortions and euthanasia in government health plans are not outside the realm of possibility if the social thugs just use the same tactics--a few cute TV shows to soften the brain and conscience, celebrities yukking it up with Bill Maher, ridiculing people on Twitter who want to save mama or the disabled, and then calling anyone a bigot or racist who disagrees.

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest provider of social services in the world, the only organization/entity that can compete with a government—any government. The Protestants, totally fractured and disorganized into thousands of competing groups, are a push over for Obama. He talks and walks their language. Learned it in Chicago.  They’ve already got divorced pastors, gay choir directors and “committed partners” teaching Sunday School.  They are not even worth worrying about in the social/cultural battle.  He will have to take on the only church that still stands for something and has some power—and unfortunately there are enough squabbling, petty Christians around who will help him do it.

It’s worked for Benghazi

Holodomor

Some background on U.S. ignoring problems in Ukraine--the Holodomor of the 1930s--80 years ago. Stalin starved 6-10 million Ukrainians to death. The U.S. was silent--there were Communists in the FDR administration. http://www.holodomorct.org/history.html

Romney and Palin

Mitt Romney was so right; Obama ridiculed him and the main stream press yukked it up.  Palin was right in 2008 and the press ridiculed her.

"Gov. Romney, I'm glad you recognize al-Qaeda is a threat, because a few months ago when you were asked what is the biggest geopolitical group facing America, you said Russia — not al-Qaeda. And the 1980's are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back — because the Cold War has been over for 20 years. But Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980's, just like the social policy of the 1950's, and the economic policies of the 1920's."  Barack Obama

Notice Obama skipped the failed socialist policies of FDR in the 30s which extended the Great Depression in that snarky comment. And what social policy of the 50s was he referring to? When Ike wanted to desegregate the schools and Democrats fought him? And the 1920s was an era of unprecedented economic prosperity. The foreign policy of the 80s, the President (Reagan) along with the Pope and Prime Minister led to the collapse of the USSR in 1991. But these victories don't last forever, Mr. President. Someone has to show leadership.

"Yes, I could see this one from Alaska," Palin posted on Facebook, saying she said "told-ya-so" in the case of her "accurate prediction [in 2008 campaign]  being derided as 'an extremely far-fetched scenario' by the 'high-brow' Foreign Policy magazine. (that guy is now editor of Politico)
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/sarah-palin-predicted-ukraine-russia/2014/03/02/id/555549#ixzz2uw52IDeE

I don’t want another (failed) military involvement, but I’m just sick that Obama looks so weak and pathetic. Even if I think he is, I’d like the world to see him differently.

The world laughs at our President

Reaching those with Alzheimer’s Disease

Touch, talk and singing. Many can remember songs and hymns and liturgy from childhood.

The last runaway by Tracy Chevalier

                  

The book for tomorrow’s book club at Panera’s in Clintonville  is "The last runaway," by Tracy Chevalier, author of “Girl with a pearl earring." I'm not a huge fan of fiction, but I know a little about American history (Ohio in 1850), women and Quakers.  (I did a lot of research on women writers in Ohio for agriculture magazines in the 19th century.)  And I must say, this is the dumbest plot and poorest character development I've read in recent years. The author has created a female, 19th century immigrant who puts hiding slaves above her safety, her family, her pregnancy and her religion, but she isn't brave enough to return to England because she got seasick on the trip over.

The only thing comparable in our era to this kind of devotion to a cause would be an anti-abortion non-feminist who suddenly sees the light, or perhaps a tree hugger Baptist who burns down her grandmother’s house in order to make a point, and even then it wouldn't be believable. And as is customary in a plot that has both black and white characters, only the blacks have any sense and can walk and chew gum at the same time.

There are also a couple of love scenes as believable as romance novels—not exactly bodice rippers, but unnecessary and unrealistic if you’ve ever tried to walk through a corn field, let alone make love in one.

Are you sick of winter yet?

BurkaChick writes for Politi-chicks

“BurkaChick grew up in the lovely town of Detroit, Michigan. She remembers a time when the city was booming because of the greedy capitalistic car companies. But now is thrilled the city has finally come into it’s democratic own. BurkaChick says, “Who needs a home or a job in this liberal paradise? All you need is one good bullet proof vest to live in this union-filled utopia! BurkaChick’s idol in her early teens was the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. She admired his fortitude in all things liberal, but was highly disappointed when Reagan came in and rescued the hostages in Iran after only 444 days in captivity. “What a show-off” she was quoted as saying. She wanted to campaign for Jimmy’s reelection, but there was no gasoline to get to his headquarters. Which was a real bummer since she was living in her car since the mortgage interest rate was at 22%.

BurkaChick then went on to…well, she doesn’t really remember much since she was wasted through most of the eighties and nineties. Today she is an avid fan of Obama. She can’t wait till George Clooney remakes a film about the life of Michelle Obama in the Whitehouse called, “The King and I”. She is a huge fan of “The View”, Susan Sarandon, MSNBC, all things uber-liberal and of course,  Occupy Wallstreet.  BurkaChick loves what Occupy stands for and has volunteered to help decorate their rape tents and paint all porta-potties to resemble police vehicles.”

http://politichicks.tv/column/dr-jen-arnold-wife-mother-doctor-hero-burkachick/

I’m saving for the next time I wrestle with a scarf

 

http://www.freebeautytips.org/tiescarves.html

They laughed and ridiculed

It’s finally March, but more snow on the way.

The team for 2016

If Republicans continue down the road they’re on, they’ll give the election to the Democrats rather than run true conservatives.

Rand Paul.  Ted Cruz.

And now for another tax reform that will fail

I like the proposed income tax plan--removes deductions (aka loopholes). It won't fly though, because by simplifying taxes it takes away the government's power to intimidate. Democrats will vote nay on this one because there is no way to stroke favored classes and groups to get votes.

In 1893 the Congress passed an income tax and the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 1895. But Congress then passed the 16th amendment which was ratified by the states in 1913. Except it wasn't. This came to light when someone actually searched all state records involving ratification of the 16th amendment. In 1913 Americans were told it would only affect 1% of most of the population. It would only soak the rich. Class warfare even then. The Constitution forbids an income tax (Art. 1, Sec. 9).

http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/26/pf/taxes/house-republican-tax-reform-dave-camp/

“House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp released his long-awaited and highly anticipated proposal for tax reform. The proposal [1,000 pages] promised to present the most thorough, sweeping changes to the law since the 1986 Act, and it didn’t disappoint.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2014/02/26/analysis-of-chairman-camps-proposal-for-tax-reform-part-1-individual-tax-reform/2/

Winter isn’t over yet—Chris Bradley’s report

Significant winter storm will hit Ohio this weekend. Heavy snow is expected Sunday into Monday morning. Snowfall amounts will likely exceed six inches across most of Ohio. A band of heavier snow with totals approaching 10 inches is possible...but it is still too early to determine where that will fall.

Wind chill is minus one at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27.  Snow would be better than ice.

The media made a mess of Arizona

Instead of whipping up hatred and distrust over a non-existent anti-gay law in AZ, the media should be covering how all of us, including gays, minorities, religious nuts and transgendered females are losing rights every day to an invasive, snooping federal government. The newest Supreme Court decision, based on a Los Angeles case, says officers may search a residence without a warrant as long as one occupant consents.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-scotus-lapd-search-20140226,0,3720623.story

Here’s the text of the Arizona law, which if our first amendment rights weren’t being shredded every day, shouldn’t have been necessary.

Kasparov on Obama

Chess champion and outspoken human rights advocate Garry Kasparov was born in the USSR.

Not affected yet—but just wait for all the tax increases to satisfy Obama’s desire for power

“Some TurboTax customers are mad at Intuit, maker of the popular tax-prep software, because they've finished their returns but are unable to file. Their anger is misplaced. They should blame the Internal Revenue Service, along with the 111th Congress and President Obama for enacting and signing the tax increase with which TurboTax can't yet comply. (They could also blame George W. Bush if they're in a jocose frame of mind.)

At issue is ObamaCare's new 3.8% "net investment income tax." It took effect Jan. 1, 2013, so that taxpayers are encountering it just now as they prepare their returns for last year. In effect, it applies the Medicare payroll tax to interest, dividends and capital gains.

But it doesn't apply to all such income. If your modified adjusted gross income is under $200,000 (or $250,000 for a married couple), you don't pay the tax at all. Further, if your modified AGI is above the threshold but your noninvestment income is below it, the tax is applied on the difference between your total income and the threshold.”  James Taranto, WSJ

Mott’s Medleys Peach Apple fruit & veggie snack

Notice anything? No peaches on the ingredient list. So I checked the cherry berry fruit and veggie snack. . . no cherries or berries on the ingredient list.

“Kids will love the delicious taste of these fruit blends but won't taste the hidden veggies. Mott's Medleys fruit snacks are fat free. In fact, they're only made with real fruits and veggies and even have plenty of Vitamin C to boot. Plus, they contain no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners or preservatives. What a treat.” Mott’s web site.

They won’t taste the vegetables, and they won’t taste the berries or peaches, either.

Dogs and coyotes

I was reading the advice of our city government (UA Insight Upper Arlington, OH) on roaming coyotes, and danger to pets left outside (small dogs, cats). The conclusion was that while people are at risk from dog attacks, there is virtually no information that they are attacked by coyotes. So I checked that and found an interesting article in Wikipedia on fatalities involving dogs. I looked at the 2013 and 2014 stats, and it appears most fatalities are female and most aggressors are pit bulls or pit bull mix. A number of these fatalities involved the owner or family or relative of the owner. In a number of cases, the owners of the dogs had been cited or warned, or the dog had bitten or killed another dog.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States#Summary_tables

Owners of Pit Bulls, Rotties, and German Shepherds are extremely loyal to the breeds and their own dogs.  But all dogs will bite, and some breeds are more aggressive than others, and some owners less responsible about training than others.

Photos of the 4 dogs who mauled and killed an 80 year old amputee in a wheel chair. 

 Toddler killed by her family’s 7 pit bulls. in Georgia last year. There was also a setter and a beagle in the home which didn’t join in on the attack. There were 4 generations in the house at the time and all the dogs were familiar with the baby.  The mother (18) has been charged.

2-year-old Je’vaeh Mayes died  after a pit bull attacked her in the backyard of her family’s home in Feb. 2014.

This happened to a woman in Dayton this month; owners have been arrested. Mastiff pit bull mix.

All dogs will bite; maul; or kill.  Especially in a pack.

It is not human interference. . .

Thus, over the past half-million years and within
the context of the most recent five full interglacials, it
is clear the average near-surface air temperature of
Earth during the 1990s was not unusually warm, but
unusually cool, despite the 1990s’ much greater
atmospheric CO2 content.
These observations suggest Earth’s current
temperature is not indicative of dangerous human
interference with the planet’s thermoregulatory
system. The IPCC’s claim of a human influence on
today’s climate is based solely on its contention that
Earth’s current temperature is uncommonly high
(Crowley, 2000), when it clearly is not. Earth was
significantly warmer than it is today in all of the
preceding interglacials for which we have good
temperature data,

Link

Fruits and Vegetables—five servings a day

“Dietary guidelines of 5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables (FV) offer a reasonable amount of vitamins to control organic processes, which may contribute to a favorable cardiometabolic profile.”

It seems I’ve heard that recommendation most of my life—that and “eat all the colors.”  So I tested myself this morning on yesterday’s meals—because that’s about as far back as I can remember.

Breakfast:  one orange, a handful of raw carrots and almonds (2)

Lunch: a sandwich on whole wheat bread with sliced ham and cheese, included a few slices of onion, and some dark leaf lettuce (it’s stretching the definition to call this two servings—more like 2 tastes)

I had a few pieces of dark chocolate left from Valentine’s Day, but chocolate is not a vegetable. Slice of raw cabbage. (1)

Supper: 2 helpings of butternut squash, “unstuffed cabbage” casserole containing tomatoes, cabbage and ground beef, cream pie with crushed pineapple  (5)

So, it’s not difficult, even with eliminating the poor showing at lunch, I had eight servings of fruits and vegetables combined, but for each 5  vegetable, and 3 for fruit. With just a little more effort at lunch, I could have had 5 FV each.

“Pro-vitamin A carotenoids and vitamins C and E, present in FV, are essential for proper physiological functioning. The importance of vitamin E for maintaining oxidative-antioxidant balance is widely recognized [8,9], but this must be accompanied by vitamin C in order to enhance antioxidant protection [8-10]. Pro-vitamin A carotenoids are present in brightly colored FV; such micronutrients modulate immune system and exert a protective action by reducing LDL-cholesterol oxidation via induction of antioxidant enzymes [10,11]. “  “Association of fruits and vegetables consumption and related-vitamins with inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in prediabetic individuals,” Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2014; 6: 22.

Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen on Glenn Beck

Maybe it was my imagination but Glenn Beck seemed a little off his game tonight in his interview with Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen.  He trimmed the scruff and put on a dark suit for the occasion. Those guys were so slick. Even so, Glenn is the best interviewer on TV--he actually lets his guests finish a thought. Schmidt is worth $8.3 Billion. Cohen was an advisor to Condi Rice and later Hillary Clinton before moving to Google and one of the earliest in government to recognize the importance of social media. The discussion was a bit over my head, but the intent of the Google team seemed to be to calm any fears that technology was in control of the human mind. Not so sure about that.

Of their book, The New Digital Age, the New York Times reviewer writes,

The collaboration between Mr. Schmidt, the executive chairman (and former chief executive) of Google, and Mr. Cohen, a foreign-relations expert and director of Google Ideas, is meant to explore the ways in which technology and diplomacy will intersect. “There is a canyon dividing people who understand technology and people charged with addressing the world’s toughest geopolitical issues, and no one has built a bridge,” they write.

Adoption falling on hard times

“Adoption referrals, sent to outside agencies, are an infrequent occurrence at Planned Parenthood clinics.  Abortions still outnumbered adoption referrals [in the latest annual report] at Planned Parenthood by a nearly 149 to one ratio!”  Link.

I've seen the statistics about adoption vs. abortion from Planned Parenthood’s annual reports. Not good, but it’s probably not all their fault.  Adoption isn’t a popular option at the church supported agency where I volunteer which exists only to save the lives of babies and help the mom with social services.

Imagine a world in which the culture (TV, movies, magazines, literature, social media and peers) tells a young girl from an early age that a career is her life’s goal, that motherhood is second rate, that pregnancy will destroy her sex appeal, that commitment for a life time is optional for sexual relations, that hanging with friends and posting on Face Book is what life is about, that large families will bankrupt her, where their schools install vending machines with condoms and morning after pills and/or she will be abused or abandoned if she choses life for her child.  Actually, you don’t need to imagine it—that’s the recipe for abortion in 2014.

But it’s not a whole lot different for those women considering single parenting—marriage is denigrated in our culture except for gays, the young men are ass-holes, immature, or totally irresponsible and if she marries him she loses government benefits, and there are 79 programs waiting to make Uncle Sam her baby’s step-father if she can keep her income low enough. There are simply no pluses for adoption these days. Potential adoptive parents write profiles at special websites and for adoption magazines--I almost weep when I read though the websites of couples longing to adopt when I know young women careless about the future of their babies (either choosing death or being raised in an inadequately prepared home).

This is not the 1950s when the rich had abortions, the poor kept their babies or put them in grandma’s care and the middle class went away to visit an aunt or grandmother and someone adopted their babies and they signed away their parental rights. Many young women of today think adoption much more tragic or unthinkable than abortion.

The minimum wage

Vegetables high in Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a broad group of related nutrients. Each of these nutrients provides us with health benefits, but these benefits may be quite different and they may be provided in different ways.

I love all of these vegetables. Help with all this. . .

• Vision
• Immune system
• Inflammatory system
• Growth
• Reproduction

Read more here.

"Vitamin A in Reproduction and Development," Nutrients. 2011 April; 3(4): 385–428. This article although difficult, provides amazing information and references.

Ohio and coal

“In Ohio, coal provides heat and light for more than 4.5 million homes and jobs for nearly 28,000 Ohioans. It may come as little surprise that Ohio ranks 10th in the nation in coal production and 4th in the nation in coal use.

But that's not a concern for the regulators in Washington, D.C. For them, coal is just another opportunity to test unproven environmental policies. For example, see the Environmental Protection Agency's new CCS regulations, which were unveiled last month. CCS stands for "Carbon Capture and Storage" — a pleasant-sounding policy that hits Ohioans twice, first on their tax bills and then again on their utility bills.

CCS is the fulfillment of President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign pledge that, "If somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can — it's just it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum." “

Read more here.

Monday Memories—lunch with an old friend

We met in 1958 when we lived in McKinley Hall on Wright St. at the University of Illinois. Saturday we had lunch together at Panera’s and it was like no time had passed. Marie and her husband were passing through Columbus on their way to Florida.  But there's always something new to learn, like her parents were Swedish immigrants and she can speak Swedish. She also told me our old friend Anita, an art teacher in the Chicago suburban area, had died. Praise God for long time friends.

Deanna, Marie and Anita ready for the I.F. Ball, 1959 standing in McKinley Hall.

Balls at the University of Illinois were usually sponsored by a campus wide or large organization and held in more public places like the Armory or the Athletic building; dances were for the individual fraternity, sorority or independent residence. Balls always had a nice dance band or small orchestra; dances usually a combo. But it was always live music.  Balls during that era were St. Pat’s Ball, Sno-Ball, Beaux-Arts Ball, Military Ball, Interfraternity Ball and Panhellenic Ball.

I love the cello

Psalm 16:8

Election reform in Ohio

“Two election bills passed the Ohio House and are expected to be signed into law by Governor Kasich next week.

"Golden Week," the week where voters could register and vote on the same day, will be eliminated under the new law. Early voting is now mandated to begin the day after voter registration ends so that no overlap of the two activities can occur.

New law will also make the mailing of absentee ballots requests to voters more consistent from county to county by permitting the Secretary of State to only mail unsolicited absentee ballot requests on even number years and only if Ohio's General Assembly appropriates funds for the mailing.

Previously it was up to the County Boards of Elections (BOE) to decide if they would mail absentee ballot requests to all voters in their county, which historically benefited voters from larger counties because they could afford the mailings.”

From Ohio Voter Integrity Project

Kevin Kookogey target of the IRS

Linchpins of Liberty is an American leadership-development enterprise designed to challenge the imagination of the rising generation. With an emphasis on the study of books about the human condition and about civil social order, Linchpins of Liberty aims to engage tomorrow’s leaders to think critically today about the inter-relation between individual liberty and morality, free-markets, limited government, strong national defense, and the traditional principles of our moral and constitutional order which have been passed down through Western Civilization.

Happy Birthday, George Washington

who introduced the mule to the Americas.

http://blogs.equisearch.com/horsehealth/2011/02/21/george-washington-mule-horse-breed/

John Kerry—listen up

John Kerry thinks climate change is the most serious threat to the globe.  He needs to go where it is really hot. Let him be a tree hugger on his own time, not mine.